


Drabbles & Ficlets

by InvisibleObserver13



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Romance, Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, Ficlet, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Halloween, Pregnancy, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Sibling Bonding, writing prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2020-10-26 10:28:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 13,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvisibleObserver13/pseuds/InvisibleObserver13
Summary: A few drabbles written in response to fluff and angst prompts on Tumblr in the Cobra Kai fandom.  Set in the universe of my work in progress of a Karate Kid/Cobra Kai fic, in which Jimmy falls in love with Johnny's sister.  Some of these drabbles and ficlets may find their way into my fic.





	1. Prompt 13 "I won't let anyone hurt you, you're safe with me."

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheLadyDisdain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyDisdain/gifts), [MissVioletHunter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissVioletHunter/gifts), [Jules1980](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jules1980/gifts), [TheEmpressAR](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEmpressAR/gifts), [Rynnsama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rynnsama/gifts), [Switch842](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Switch842/gifts).
**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 13 of the Fluff and Angst Prompts was requested by MissVioletHunter for Jimmy and Julie.

Jimmy is pulled out of his thoughts by frantic knocking at his door. Frowning, he wonders who it could be. His whole family is already or would be at his parents' house. Nearly all of his friends would be with their own families. It wouldn't be one of his neighbors, as everyone is pretty private and minds their own business.

The frantic knocking transitions into an intense beating on the door. Annoyed, Jimmy glances at the clock. Damn it, he is already later than he planned. Sighing, he walks to the door.

"Okay, alright. I'm coming," he calls.

Not even three seconds after opening his door, Jimmy finds his arms full of an unconscious Julie. Whatever he was expecting, this was not it.

In order to keep from dropping Julie, Jimmy has to readjust her in his arms. He carries her inside, kicking the door closed behind him. He tries not to panic by keeping his focus on Julie, but that doesn't stop his heart from hammering inside his chest. Gently laying her on the couch and propping her legs up with pillows, Jimmy quickly checks to see if she is still breathing. He relaxes just a bit once he sees her begin to stir.

"Come on, Julie. Come back to me, honey," Jimmy murmurs.

Julie stirs a little more and mumbles incoherently. Standing from his kneeling position, Jimmy rushes to the kitchen. He wastes no time filling a glass with water and wetting a dishcloth. He is soon by her side again, brushing her hair back and dabbing Julie's face with the damp cloth.

Her eyes flutter open, meeting Jimmy's. He smiles at her, relief evident in his features.

"Hi, beautiful. Welcome back to the land of the living."

Julie blinks, confused. "Wha' happ'ned? Why 'm I here?"

Jimmy keeps smiling, trying to hide his concern. "You tell me. I open the door and you fall into my arms."

She turns pink, trying to sit up. "Oh, my God. Did I really?"

Jimmy nods, while gently, but firmly, pushing her back down onto the couch. At his nod, she groans, covering her face. Jimmy takes her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles, causing her to turn an even brighter shade of pink.

His smile fades, seriousness taking over. "Julie, what's wrong? What happened? It hasn't even been twelve hours since we left the hospital. You're pregnant and you have a concussion. You should be resting. Where's Johnny and why isn't he with you?"

There is a subtle change in her expression as she remembers. Jimmy notices how tense she is. Julie avoids meeting his gaze, biting her lip.

“Julie? Talk to me.”

She reluctantly turns to him. “May I have some water?” she asks, pointing to the glass he had set on the coffee table behind him. Jimmy knows she is stalling, but he can’t really deny her (or their child) something that she may need. He helps prop Julie up with pillows before he hands her the glass, which she eagerly takes. She starts to gulp down the water.

“Hey, take it slow. You don’t need to make yourself sick again,” he says, before he takes the glass away from her. “Alright, now talk.”

Hands spread away from her body, she starts to speak, “All I wanted to do was eat something…”

Jimmy tilts his head, confused by how eating relates to how she ended up passed out on his doorstep. “Explain,” he directs her while gesturing to continue.

Rolling her eyes, Julie summarizes her morning. “I was hungry when I woke up, so I went into the kitchen. There is, like, no food in Johnny’s apartment, which is why he went shopping. After an incident with spoiled milk, I decided to wait and try again later. Just as I’m starting to eat, there’s somebody at the door.”

Jimmy notices how subdued she becomes when mentioning the visitor. “Who was at the door?”

Julie pulls her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly. “It was Sid,” she answers, so soft that he can barely hear her.

Jimmy can count on one hand the number of times he met Johnny’s stepfather. He didn’t think much of the man. Johnny never had anything good to say about him. And he remembers the whole reason that Julie hung out with the Cobras as much as she did was because Johnny tried to keep her away from Sid’s anger and the fighting between him and their mom. That is enough for Jimmy to rise and join her on the couch. He puts his arm around her, which she instantly leans into.

“What happened?”

Julie peers at him through her hair, which had fallen in her face. Jimmy thinks, but isn’t certain, that there are unshed tears glimmering in her eyes. “He knows ... about our baby,” she whispers.

He inhales sharply. “How?” His voice comes out a bit hoarse.

She smiles bitterly. “He pays my bills. He saw the test listed on a medical bill.”

“How did he take it?”

Julie looks at him like he is crazy. “How do you think?” she explodes. “He said disgusting, awful things to me! He grabbed me and tried to force me to go with him.” She starts crying.

Jimmy pulls her close to him, stroking her hair in a soothing manner. “He grabbed you?” She nods into his chest. Then she pulls the right sleeve of her jacket up, showing him her wrist. A fierce protectiveness overtakes him as he sees the bruise that has already formed. _How could he do that to her? How dare he even touch her?_

“He wouldn’t let go. He was holding me so tight and jerking me around so much that I thought he was going to break it.”

Jimmy examines her wrist. Though his touch is gentle, Julie winces as he runs his thumb lightly over the bruised area. A ripple of guilt for causing her even the smallest pain runs through him.

“I’m sorry.”

She sniffles. “It’s okay.” She wipes away a tear.

Jimmy releases her, standing. “Let me get you some ice to put on that.” He walks to the kitchen.

_###_

Five minutes later, he comes back out with an ice pack. Jimmy had hoped to get a bag of actual ice, but had forgotten that he refilled his ice trays. And of course, the water hasn't had the chance to refreeze yet.

"Hey, sorry I took so long…" Jimmy trails off when he notices that the young woman on his couch is fast asleep, injured wrist resting on her chest. He smiles at her fondly. Trying not to wake her, Jimmy arranges it around her wrist. Julie jolts awake at the sudden change in temperature. He retakes his seat beside her.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay. I just wanted to keep the swelling under control. Go back to sleep."

Julie shakes her head and rubs her eyes, a bit sluggish. "No, 's okay. Didn't mean to fall asleep. But I don't think getting slapped helps my concussion any." She attempts a smile.

Rage flares up inside him, causing him to jump up, rushing to his bedroom. Though his voice is a bit muffled, he can still be heard shouting. "He _hit_ you? It's not bad enough that he nearly breaks your arm; he has to hit you too?"

Jimmy comes back into the living room, cordless phone in hand. He starts to dial.

"And that isn't mentioning the stress you have to be under. Is he trying to send you back into the hospital?"

"Well, it's not like he knew I had a head injury," Julie mutters.

He stops, pointing a finger at her. "No! Don't you dare defend him!"

"I'm not!” she snaps, leaning forward with her hands clenching the couch cushion she is sitting on, her shoulders tense. “I would never defend him after what he tried to make me do!”

Jimmy cocks his head to the side. “What? What else did he do?” Jimmy holds his hand up, remembering. “Wait. You said he was trying to force you to go with him. Go where? Julie?”

Meeting his gaze, Julie’s expression crumbles. Tears and sobs are already breaking through.

“He, he wants me to, to t-terminate the pregnancy,” she can barely get out.

Jimmy drops the phone. He is back at her side in seconds. “An a-abortion?” he has trouble forcing the last word out of his mouth. “He wants you to have an abortion?” The word leaves a sour taste in his mouth.

Julie nods, her head down, as she can’t bear to face him.

Jimmy’s stomach is churning. His Catholic upbringing, which he usually tries to suppress, tells him that abortion is a sin. A part of him counters it with _You’ve sinned a few times in your life, who are you to judge?_ If he’s being honest, Jimmy doesn’t really have a problem with women having the right to choose. But this is **his** child. And Jimmy has always wanted to be a father. He can’t help but remember the feeling of hearing the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. It was so strong! But he also hears Bobby’s voice -- _support her in whatever she decides about this pregnancy._ As much as he wants to be a father to this child, Julie’s wishes have to come first. If she decides to have the abortion, he is just going to have to deal with it. He can’t blame her. It is her body. And he still hasn’t told her about the condoms.

“Are...are you going to go through with it?” Jimmy asks hoarsely.

Julie looks up at him, horrified. She shoves him angrily, knocking him off the couch. Standing abruptly, she balls her hands into fists. “How can you ask me that?”

Relief floods through him. He lifts his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. You're not aborting. Got it."

"It's what he wants. I won't give the bastard the satisfaction," Julie snarls, swiping hot tears from her cheeks. She turns away from him, sighing. "But I'm not going through with the pregnancy out of spite. Or because I'm against abortions, which I’m not.”

Her face softens as her hands find their way to her abdomen. “This baby, though unintended, was created in love. Or at least, on my part. I'm still in love with you, even though I’ve tried to stop,” she admits. “The baby is a part of you, my part of you. I could never… especially not after hearing its heartbeat. I won’t let anyone hurt it. That’s why had to get away from Sid. He didn’t just hurt me, he was threatening the baby. I, I just started running. I didn’t know where to go. I..." Julie stops, unsure of how to finish the sentence and because her emotions are taking over again.

Julie jumps slightly as arms encircle her from behind. Jimmy pulls her close, covering her hands with his. He places a kiss to the back of her head.

“You needed to feel safe. Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone hurt you, or the baby. You’re safe with me. I’ll protect you.”

Julie closes her eyes, a watery smile forming on her face. Turning in his arms, she looks up at him. “Promise?”

Jimmy flashes that grin that never fails to make her heart flutter. “Always,” he reassures her, holding her close. Julie rests her head on his chest, right above his heart.


	2. Prompt 17 "I can't sleep, can I stay here?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 17 of the Fluff and Angst Prompts on Tumblr. Requested by curiousdamage for Jimmy and Julie.

It’s late. He should be in bed by now. But is he? No. Jimmy thinks that anxiety and adrenaline are keeping the exhaustion that he knows he should be feeling at bay. He has spent the last two days working mostly from home and nearly rearranging his apartment to move Julie in. 

Even before that, Jimmy has been driving himself crazy. For the last three weeks, Jimmy felt like he has done everything and gone everywhere, even though he knows it isn’t accurate. Since finding out that he was going to be a father, he has been in planning mode. Jimmy decided that marriage and raising the baby with Julie would be best, as it would be easier to support them, especially if something were to happen to him. He has met with officials at the Los Angeles County Clerk’s Office to find out about what is needed to apply for a marriage license. He even checked what days each branch is available for civil marriages. Jimmy wants to get married sooner rather than later, definitely before the baby is born and preferably before she starts showing too much. This is mostly because he wants to avoid further embarrassment for both Julie and his parents, especially his very Catholic mother. He has called his insurance provider to add Julie to his policy. Jimmy even chatted up the women in his office to get some answers about how to find a good OB/GYN for Julie. He’s called a few up, trying to see who could meet with her as soon as possible. Julie’s prenatal care is a priority, even if she isn’t making it one. But he should cut her some slack. She was right in the middle of final exams until a few days ago. Jimmy has made a list of items that he knows the baby will need (car seat, crib, stroller, high chair) and compared price tags for what appear to be the top brands in the department stores.

And that doesn’t even cover his reading list. A self-imposed reading list. The last day of November had been pretty depressing for Jimmy. Thanksgiving dinner had turned into a disaster. Julie hadn’t spoken to him for two days. Nor would Johnny allow him to even try to talk to her. In order to cheer himself up, Jimmy decided to stop at the bookstore to pick up the latest Stephen King and  _ Wheel of Time _ books that he hasn’t had the chance to buy. And yet, he felt himself drawn to the section where the pregnancy and parenting books were located. Jimmy ended up buying a whole stack, completely ignoring the disapproving look on the lady at the checkout counter’s face when she noticed he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

For the last two hours, Jimmy has been perusing one of the many pregnancy books. There is a tentative knock at his bedroom door. His eyes worriedly flick from the page to the door. He lays  _ What to Expect When You’re Expecting _ on his nightstand. Jimmy scrambles to the door, taking a moment to compose himself before opening it.

Jimmy is greeted with the sight of Julie in a simple white cotton nightgown that falls right above her knees, her hair cascading over her shoulders, with one hand up, poised to knock once more.  _ She looks beautiful _ , he thinks. By the look in her eyes, he clearly startled her. She stares at him, entranced, her mouth agape, breath caught in her throat. Julie’s eyes drink him in, trailing down…

_ Oh, right. I’m only wearing boxers _ , Jimmy realizes, seeing his affect on her.

He clears his throat. “Julie, my eyes are up here,” he teases her, using two fingers to tilt her chin up. His blue eyes hold a mischievous glint with a playful grin to match. Knowing that she’s been caught, Julie flushes a deep pink. She turns away from him.

_ No. Please, don’t look away _ . Jimmy’s smile fades. As she starts to back away, he steps out into the hall and reaches for her arm.

“Julie, wait! Don’t go. It was a bad joke, I know. I’m sorry.”

She stops, peering at him through a curtain of dark hair. Jimmy pulls her closer, brushing her hair from her face.

“Julie, look at me, please. What is it? What’s wrong?”

Finally meeting his eyes, she appears mildly confused. “What?”

Jimmy leans forward, placing his hands on her shoulders. He tries to ignore the knot that is forming in his stomach. He wants to appear calm and not upset or increase any fears that Julie may already have.

“It’s late. You wouldn’t be knocking on my door if something wasn’t wrong. Are you okay? A-are you feeling nauseous? I-is there any pain or cramping? Julie, if you thought you were having a miscarriage, you’d tell me, right?”

Her jaw drops. She splutters a bit, trying to form a coherent thought or word. Julie takes a moment to collect herself. When she has recovered from her shock, Julie reaches up to caress Jimmy’s cheek. Unshed tears threaten to fall.

“You thought that I was losing the baby? Oh, Jimmy. I’m sorry that I made you think that, even for a second. And of course, I would tell you!”

She takes his hand and places it on her bump. “As far as I know, the baby and I are fine. We’re okay. Don’t worry.”

Jimmy looks from her to where his hand is situated over their unborn child. He starts to smile again. “Don’t worry? Yeah, I think our days of worrying are just beginning. And I don’t think we’ll stop after eighteen years.”

They share a little laugh. Then he directs his attention back to Julie. “So, why did you knock on my door? You still haven’t told me.”

She clams up and avoids his eyes again. Jimmy cocks an eyebrow.

“Julie.”

She cringes hearing the warning tone in his voice. Julie shakes her head and starts to back away. “I-it-it’s nothing,” she stammers. “I, I’ll go back to my room.” As she turns on her heel, Jimmy clasps her hands, pulling her back to him.

“Julie, please talk to me.”

She sighs in resignation. Looking down, Julie replies, “It’s nothing. You’ll think it’s silly, especially after what you were thinking.”

He runs his hands up and down her arms in a soothing manner. “Just tell me,” Jimmy pleads. “I promise I won’t laugh. I won’t get upset. Just talk to me, babe.”

She rolls her eyes, finally meeting his gaze.

“I can’t sleep. Can I stay here, with you?”

Stunned, Jimmy blinks. He can barely say one word: “What?”

“I can’t sleep. It’s not for lack of trying, as I have for hours. But I can’t sleep. I don’t know how or why, but I just can’t. I am tired and I know it. I had no problem yesterday. Of course, that could have been from the stress of finishing my exams, packing, moving out of the dorms, and moving in here. Whatever the reason, I can’t sleep and it’s driving me crazy!”

By this point, the poor girl is in tears. Jimmy, taking pity on her, embraces Julie tightly, kissing the top of her head.

“I came to ask if I could sleep with you,” she continues. “The best sleep that I’ve ever had has been when I’m in your arms. I just really need you right now!”

At her words, Jimmy’s brows shoot up. He flashes her a suggestive smile. “Really? All you had to do was ask.”

It is only then that Julie realizes what she said. She flushes pink again, covering her face in embarrassment.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” she cries.

Jimmy laughs again as he pries her hands away. “Julie, it’s okay. And yes, you can stay.” He  kisses Julie’s forehead before bringing her in for another hug. She still looks miserable and embarrassed beyond belief, but it doesn’t stop her from leaning into the embrace and resting her head on his collarbone.

“When I say ‘sleep’, I actually mean sleep,” she mutters. Julie turns to him. “I’m serious about us not having sex again until after the wedding,” she says emphatically. 

“C’mon.” Jimmy leads her to his room.

Walking into the bedroom, he spots  _ What to Expect When You’re Expecting _ on his nightstand, causing him to freeze. Knowing that she will see it the second she enters, Jimmy steps in front of her. He honestly doesn’t know how Julie will react to him reading pregnancy books. They haven’t talked too much about the pregnancy itself or how they intend to parent their child. While he knows they need to discuss these things in depth, Jimmy knows that two sleep-deprived people should probably not have that kind of discussion in the middle of the night.

“This is the first time you’ve been in here, right?”

Julie nods.

“Then you should check out my bookshelf. I remember how much you love to read. I know that you’ve perused most of my books in the living room. But I keep my favorite books in here.” As he talks, he ushers her to one side of the room.

While Julie is thumbing through his collection of books, Jimmy rushes over to his nightstand. He tosses the book into the drawer. Looking up to see that Julie is still occupied, he moves over to his dresser where the rest of the stack of pregnancy and parenting books sit. He grabs an armful of them, hoping that she wouldn’t turn around. Jimmy picks them up and throws them onto the floor of his closet. As soon as he slides the door closed, he sees Julie behind him in the mirror. He whirls around.

“Shit!”

Jimmy falls back against the glass, his hand over his heart. Julie stares back at him, one eyebrow raised and her arms crossed. She can’t keep the mix of suspicion and amusement off her face.

“A bit jumpy, aren’t you? Shouldn’t I be the nervous one?”

Recovering from the surprise, Jimmy tries to walk her backward, in the direction of the bed. Julie tries to look over his shoulder, hoping that he didn’t get the closet completely closed. Indicating the closet with a nod of her head, she asks, “Whatcha hiding?”

“Nothing.”

Jimmy receives a skeptical look in reply. He sighs, “I didn’t notice that my room was a bit of a mess. So, I was putting a few things away before you saw them,” he lies, a bit more convincingly this time.

Julie looks around the room. “You’re kidding, right? What mess? This has to be one of the cleanest bedrooms I’ve ever seen. Especially for a guy’s room.”

Jimmy puts his hands on his hips. “Oh, been in many boys’ rooms, have we?”

She shoots him a mock glare and gives him a light slap on the arm. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. You know I used to sleep in Johnny’s room sometimes when I was a kid. Whether as a teenager or an adult, none of his rooms have looked this good. And I was in Bobby’s room once. It was very neat, but it didn’t look this nice.”

“What were you doing in Bobby’s room? And did he know about it?”

Julie plays with a lock of her hair. “Uh, I don’t remember. I just know Becca wanted me to play lookout while we snuck into his room.” She tilts her head to the side. “No, I don’t he ever found out,” she yawns.

Jimmy smiles at her. “Okay, I think it’s time you went to bed.” He pulls back the covers, lifting them for her to get in. Julie can smell that he washed the sheets recently. As she is getting comfortable and snuggling in, she notices that Jimmy isn’t getting into bed. In fact, he is headed toward the door.

“Hey, where are you going? Aren’t you going to stay with me?” she asks, pouting.

Jimmy stops, turning to face her. He points up to the ceiling. “I thought it might be easier for you to sleep with the lights off.”

“Oh!” Embarrassed, Julie lies back and pulls the blanket up to cover her face. Though muffled, he can hear his chuckling. The next thing Julie knows, he is climbing into bed beside her. He pulls the blanket from her face, leaning over her. She practically melts at the look of adoration that Jimmy gives her.

“C’mere,” he says, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him. Jimmy kisses her.

Within fifteen minutes, both are asleep. Julie’s head has migrated from the pillow to his chest. Jimmy has one arm holding her to him, while the other rests on the slight swell of her abdomen.


	3. Prompt 024 "I think I'm falling in love."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's love at first sight for Julie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I've finally started posting my fic, "Is This Love?" and completed a new chapter which will soon be posted, I can't get these characters and their story out of my head. In an attempt to write more, I've decided to attempt a month-long drabble challenge. I will attempt to keep them around 100 words, but no promises. This "drabble" prompt comes from the 101 Fluffy Prompts list from Tumblr, specifically the Falling in Love section.

Julie stands on her tiptoes, trying to spot her brother through the stream of teenage boys exiting the dojo. He’s with his friends -- Bobby, Tommy, and that jerk Dutch.

To her surprise, there is a new boy with them. A boy with dark brown hair and striking blue eyes. Julie’s breath catches in her throat.  _ Wow, he looks like a prince right out a fairy tale. Or a Ken doll. _

Johnny introduces his new friend to her and their mother. Laura is enamored by the boy’s politeness. Julie is silent, nearly hiding behind her mother’s skirt. She drops her book. Jimmy kneels down to pick it up.

“ _ Nancy Drew _ , huh?”

Johnny appears embarrassed. “Yeah, Jules is a bit of a bookworm. Carries one with her wherever she goes. Don’t know where she gets it.”

“No, I think it’s great.” Jimmy gives the girl a sly, yet genuine grin. “I’ve read all of  _ The Hardy Boys _ books. Here,” he hands her back the book. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  
“Thank you,” she replies in a barely audible voice, clutching her book to her chest.  _ I think I’m in love. _


	4. October 30, 1981

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An October-themed ficlet which is more about the brother-sister relationship between Johnny and Julie Lawrence.

It was the night before Halloween. Sid and Laura Weinberg were out with acquaintances, leaving Johnny to watch his sister. He invites his friends over to watch the network TV premiere of John Carpenter's  _ Halloween _ on NBC. Julie begs to watch it with them.

“I don’t know about this,” Bobby says hesitantly. He looks between the Lawrences. “Johnny, don’t you think this movie will be too scary for her? She’s eight. I wouldn’t let Becca watch it. And Julie should be in bed by now.”

Dutch and Tommy needle her, feigning concern.

“Yeah, I don’t think Little Bit can handle it.”

“Bobby’s right. Jules might have nightmares.”

Julie scowls, annoyed. She grabs a fistful of popcorn out of the bowl, shoving it into Tommy’s mouth. “Shut up and eat your popcorn!” 

The fourteen-year-old Cobra glances at his sister. “I think she’ll be fine.”

As the movie starts, a hush falls over the living room. 

When Judith and her boyfriend go upstairs, Bobby leans toward Johnny, giving him a pointed look. “What about the, you know, other stuff?” 

The blond smirks, waving him off. “Don’t worry. Got it covered.”

The second that Judith Myers’ naked form appears onscreen, Johnny covers his sister’s eyes with one hand. Julie struggles, trying to pry his fingers away. It doesn’t help that she can hear the character cry out and she doesn’t know what is happening.

“Johnny! Stop, I can’t see!”

“Yeah, that’s the point, kid. Some things you don’t get to see. You’re not old enough.”

“That’s not fair! You said I could watch,” she whines.

“Life’s not fair. Hey, you can sit here and watch the movie -- what I think is okay -- or you can go to bed. What’ll it be?”

“Fine,” Julie pouts, leaning back against the couch. Johnny removes his hand. By this point, Michael Myers’ parents have arrived home. “Great. I don’t even know what happened.”

“He stabbed and killed his sister,” Johnny informs her with a patronizing pat on the head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I struggled to come up with an idea for a drabble/ficlet for yesterday, October 2nd, this one comes a day late. It was inspired by a conversation with OutForAWalkBitkah3568, about Halloween and scary movies. I've always had the idea that Johnny would be the kind of brother to let his sister do or watch anything she wanted, but overprotective and nearly prudish enough with her that he'd cover her eyes and ears, or distract her, during nude or sex scenes in a movie. It's that kind of behavior that would lead to her naivete and situation in "Is This Love?"


	5. Prompt 94 "I won't lose you, too."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie makes a promise to her nephew, Robby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt was sent to me by Jules1980 during our Fluff/Angst Drabble challenge over a year ago. I'm sorry that it took this long for me to get around to it.

A warm hand caresses her face. “Babe, the nurse is here.” Her eyes are slow to open. She forces herself to sit upright in the hard waiting room chair.

Julie had been at the hospital for hours. She left work the moment she got the call from Shannon. That had been nearly fifteen hours ago. Julie is fucking tired. She hasn’t slept in nearly twenty-four hours. Unless one counts the occasional dozing off she’s done. She doesn’t know what she would do if Jimmy wasn’t there. Her dear husband had dropped the kids off with his parents before joining her at the hospital.

The same hospital where her mother died years ago. She was at this hospital to support a woman, nearly ten years her junior, that she barely knows and doesn’t like if she’s being honest. All because her older brother had gotten this young woman pregnant. And there was no one else in her life to support her.

Julie walks over to the nurse. She fights to keep down the fears. “How is Shannon? Are she and the baby okay?”

“Ms. Keene is exhausted, but doing well. We’re letting her rest now. Your nephew has been taken to the nursery. He’s a strong little guy with a powerful set of lungs.”

Julie smiles for the first time in that long, neverending day.  _ Nephew. _ She’s an aunt now. And not one by marriage.  _ Johnny has a son. _ A mix of emotions comes over her, which she forces down. “May I see him?”

Before following the nurse, she goes to Jimmy. She gives him a hard look, one that he knows isn’t directed at him, and speaks softly. “I don’t care if you have to look in every bar in the Valley. But you find him and get his ass here.”

  
  


Julie stands outside the nursery window. Scanning the sea of sleeping and crying infants, she finally lays on the right one. She’s so overcome with emotion at seeing her nephew. It surprises her. She knew that she would love this child from the beginning, but didn’t realize how strong that love and protective instinct could be despite not being this child’s parent.

_ Robert Swayze Keene. _ Julie laughs as she reads the name on the outside of the crib. A love of actor Patrick Swayze was one of the few things that she and Shannon had in common. This little boy better learn to love  _ Dirty Dancing _ and  _ Road House _ , she thinks.

“Hey there, Robby. I’m your Aunt Julie. I’m gonna be honest with you. Your parents have some problems. So, it’s going to be a rough ride. But whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you. Because we’re family and I love you. I’ve already lost too many people in my life -- my Dad before I was even born, my mother before I was thirteen, my babies. You could even say that I’ve lost my brother, your father, to booze. But I won’t lose you, too. Your Uncle Jimmy and I will look out for you. That I promise you.”


	6. Prompt 68 "Fine."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little heart to heart between the Cobra brothers. Inspired by a prompt from TheEmpressAR.

Johnny had only just sat down on his couch and popped the cap off his first Coors Banquet. Then came the knocking on his door. He growls to himself.  _ Can’t a man drink a beer after work in his own home in peace? _

Apparently, his unwelcome visitor didn’t agree. The pounding on his door increases in strength and frequency. It only serves to annoy him further and worsen his headache. He slams the Coors bottle down on the coffee table, standing. “Alright, I’m coming!” He cusses under his breath all the way to the door.

Johnny throws the door open. He’s stunned to see Jimmy, fresh out of work, in his charcoal gray suit and tie, hand poised to knock again. “Man, what are you doing here? You are aware that Jules is back at Berkeley, right?”

Jimmy glares at him. “Of course, I do.”

Johnny continues. “Then why are you here? I’ll tell you right now that I’m not gonna go to bat for you with my sister. You fucked up. You hurt her. She still doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Jimmy’s face crumbles, as he allows his regret to show. “No, you’re right. I did fuck up. I hurt her; I’ll admit that. I should have been honest with her.”

“No shit,” Johnny sneers. He peers outside. He grabs Jimmy by the arm, pulling him inside. “Get in here,” he orders in a low voice. “I don’t need any nosy neighbors eavesdropping.”

“But I will make it up to her. I owe it to her and our child. A child that will be born in a few short months. He or she deserves to know what to expect from the both of us. The baby needs to feel safe and secure.”

Johnny narrows his eyes. “All I’m hearing is ‘the baby this, the baby that’. What about my sister and what she wants? That’s what I care about. Who I care about.”

Jimmy takes offense. “Don’t you dare say that I don’t care about her. You don’t know how I feel --”

Johnny cuts him off. “Does she? And don’t for a second think you care about Julie more than I do. I’ve known her since she was this big,” he says, holding his hands a little over a foot apart. “I’ve been protecting her and keeping her safe and happy for her whole life. Obviously, I’ve failed her, or she wouldn’t be in this situation. But I’ll be damned if I let anyone, even you -- my so-called brother, hurt her again or pressure her into having that kid.”

“She’s not having an abortion,” Jimmy chokes out. “She already told me that. After Sid found her here.”

Johnny looks away, nodding. “Yeah, well. Good for her. But just ‘cause she has it, doesn’t mean she’s keeping it.” He picks up his Coors Banquet and takes a swig. Johnny grimaces. “I’m not saying that to be an ass. I’m trying to be honest with you. Jules is scared. She’s not talking to me. Not like she used to. Even though she doesn’t want to see you, I do think you need to talk. But you need to listen to her.”

Jimmy is silent for a moment. “I’m driving up to Berkeley tomorrow. I plan to talk to Julie, whether she wants to or not.” A pause of hesitation. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

Johnny, who had taken another drink, chokes and spits out his beer. “You wanna run that by me again?” he coughs.

The brunet looks him in the eye, determination shining through. “You heard me. I’m going to propose to Julie. I’ve been thinking about everything since Thanksgiving. I think it’s the right thing to do. For a lot of reasons. I’m not asking for your permission.”

Johnny stares him down, even as he finishes his beer. Silence seems to drag on. “Fine.”

Jimmy blinks. He tilts his head. “What?” He was expecting a fight, not this.

Johnny smirks. “Fine. Ask her.” He thrusts a finger in his friend’s face. “But don’t push her into marrying you. I can tell you firsthand that marrying for your kid isn’t always the right thing. Kids suffer too. If she says no, then that’s it. Jules has reasons and thoughts that she’s not sharing, but they’re there. And one more thing.”

Jimmy nods, waiting for the question.

“How do you feel about her? Really?”

Jimmy licks his lips nervously. Then he takes a deep breath. “I think I’ve fallen in love with her.”

  
  



	7. “Shut up, okay? I’m getting you out of here. We’re going home.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny to the rescue after Julie finds herself in over her head after sneaking out. Johnny reads her the riot act.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt came from the prompt list at let-us-imagine.tumblr.com. Due to real life and my inability to write true drabbles, this ficlet comes several days late.

She ran out the door to meet him as soon as she saw his Avanti pull into the driveway.

“Johnny!”

He throws the car door open as soon as he sees her. She is so glad to see her brother that she doesn’t even notice the fire in those blue eyes or how tight his jaw is. She tries to throw her arms around him in a hug.

“Oh, Johnny! I’m so glad I caught you. If you didn’t answer, I don’t know what I would have done.”

He holds Julie at arm’s length, his grip on her bicep firm. “Shut up, okay? I’m getting you out of here. We’re going home.” Johnny jerks her forward. “Get in the damn car.”

Julie is stunned into silence. She stares wide-eyed at him. Her brother is rarely ever so brusque or rough with her. She complies, hunching down in the seat.

Johnny spares her glance before starting the car. He takes in her appearance. Hair all teased and curled. The amount of makeup she wears makes her look at least four years older. Bright, flashy clothes, including a shirt that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Feeling his eyes on her, Julie meets his gaze. He looks away in anger and dismay.

“Johnny, I --”

As they drive away, he lifts a hand from the steering wheel. “No. Don’t speak. You sit and listen. It’s not bad enough that you sneak out but to a fucking high school party! Don’t think I don’t know what was going on in that house. I’ve been there, done that shit..”

Johnny clenches his jaw. Trying to calm his rage for her sake, he takes a deep breath. It doesn’t work. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? Those older boys, they acted all interested in you and your friends, right? Well, get this. They don’t care about getting to know you. All you are to them is a pretty face that they’ll forget in five minutes and a fresh piece of ass. They want in your pants and they’ll say or do anything to get what they want, whether it’s by offering you a beer or a joint.”

Silence falls between the two and seems to last forever. Johnny abruptly pulls into a dimly-lit parking lot of a seedy-looking convenience store. Julie wrinkles her nose in confusion. He’s already out of the car just as she starts to question him.

He points a finger at her. “Stay here. Don’t even move a muscle. Keep the doors locked until I come back. Am I clear?” She nods.

Less than five minutes later, he is back with a brown-bagged bottle in hand. Julie feels a wave of uneasiness go through her. Biting her lip nervously, she looks at her brother. “Johnny, you’re… not gonna drink and drive, are you? And how did you get it? You’re eighteen!” She’s aware that he and the Cobras have been drunk before, but was unclear on the details or even how they acquired it. But what bothers her most is that he might actually drive drunk with her in the car.

He looks at her sharply. “That’s not important. And no, I’m not. Do you actually think that I’d put you in danger? Especially, after I just got you out of what could have been any number of fucking dangerous situations! This is for when I get you home. The things I do for you,” he mutters vaguely, shaking his head as he starts the car.

As they enter their Encino Hills neighborhood, Johnny slows down. He parks a few blocks away, so they’ll have to walk to their house. He grabs the bottle. “Let’s go.” 

After a moment’s hesitation, Julie follows after him. “Uh, Johnny? Are you going to tell what the booze is for?”

He peers at her over his shoulder. “Gotta sneak you back in. That’s easier if I provide a distraction.” He pops open the bottle, taking a swig. To her surprise, he pours some liquor on his shirt and pats his face, as one would when putting on aftershave. Johnny fills her in on the plan as they walk.

“Hey, Johnny,” Julie breaks in uncertainly, “about what you said earlier. Not all guys are like that. Right?” She glances at her brother, brown eyes pleading for him to be wrong. Because if he’s telling the truth, then she loses faith in her heroes, including Johnny and his friends.

He grimaces. “No,” he admits slowly. “But you can never tell the good guys from the bad. That’s why you need to keep your guard up. Don’t trust any of ‘em. One thing that Sid and I agree on -- you’re not old enough to date. We don’t want you alone with any boy. In or out of the house. And speaking of the Old Man, if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I won’t cover for you. I’ll let him ground you.”


	8. "A baby."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura Lawrence has an emotional reaction to some news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ficlet was inspired by prompt 20 from the prompt list at let-us-imagine.tumblr.com.

“A baby.”

Laura Lawrence whispered the words to herself. And yet, those two little words seemed to bounce around the entire living room of the small apartment. Almost suffocating her.

_ Pregnant. _ The thought -- no, the reality -- is devastating. It had been hard enough raising a five-year-old son alone with Bill sending what money he could to her, the paltry support from the government, and working at the diner. But now, she’ll be supporting two children completely on her own. She had only received that damned telegram two weeks ago. The one informing her that her husband had been killed in action.

That is what hurts the most. Bill will never know this child. He had barely seen and held Johnny twice since in the boy’s lifetime. But she always wrote to Bill, telling him stories of what Johnny said or did, and sent him pictures. He would write back, expressing his love for them both and what he and Johnny could do together as father and son once he returned from Vietnam. But now, they’ll never have that chance.

Laura lets loose a primal scream. She collapses in on herself, curling up on the sofa. She lets her tears flow without restraint. So exhausted and lost in her emotions, Laura doesn’t see her son walk into the room.

“Mommy!”

She sits up in surprise, trying to wipe away the evidence. She must be strong for her Johnny Angel.  _ No, for both of my children _ . Her last and most precious pieces of her highschool sweetheart-turned-husband. She focuses on her son, who has since dropped his toy car and ran to her side.

“Mommy, you’re crying! What’s wrong?”

Laura smiles, trying to radiate reassurance for the frightened five-year-old. It doesn’t seem to work, looking into those big blue eyes, so much like her own. She lifts him onto the sofa beside her. “Johnny, sweetheart, I have something to tell you. Remember when we saw Daddy a few months ago, in Hawaii?"

The little boy nods.

Laura brushes the blond hair away from his eyes. “Well, Daddy gave me a special gift. In a couple of months, you are going to have a little brother or sister.”


	9. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big brother Johnny witnesses Baby Julie experiencing some firsts.

Johnny plays with his ten-month-old sister in the living room. He was trying to teach her to build towers and castles with Playskool blocks. Or more like, he was building and she would stack a block or two before knocking down his tower.

“Julie,” the six-year-old groans.

The baby laughs and claps. Johnny rolls his eyes and starts to rebuild.

Laura calls to her son from inside the kitchen. Johnny stands to go help her.

As she notices him walking away, the little girl screeches in protest. 

Turning around, he tries to placate her. “I’ll be right back, Julie. Keep playing.”

That isn’t what the little girl wants to hear. And she makes it known by grabbing a block and launching at him the second he turns his back on her. It hits him in the shin.

Spinning around, Johnny scowls. He points and shakes a finger at the baby. “No! No, no. Bad Julie. You don’t throw things.”

Her face crumples at his tone. Baby Julie begins to cry. Despite his yelling at her, she still reaches for Johnny. Anger fades to guilt. He didn’t mean to make her cry.  _ But she has to know that she can’t just throw a tantrum and get her way. She’s gotta know right from wrong. As her big brother, it’s my job to teach her. _

“No, Julie. I’m sorry, but I gotta help Mom. I’ll be back, promise.” He starts back to the kitchen.

Just as he reaches the doorway to the kitchen, Julie pushes herself up to a standing position. “Yonny!”

Johnny freezes on the spot, thinking he couldn’t have heard that right.

“Yonny!”

He whips around, eyes widening.  _ She did say it. _

Julie reaches out to him with both hands. Then she takes an unsteady step forward. And another. And out comes another, “Yonny”. Another step.

Johnny’s jaw drops. “Mom! Mom, get in here! Julie said my name! And she’s walking!”

Laura runs out of the kitchen, not believing what she’s hearing. She witnesses her daughter walking to Johnny, who cheers her on. The little girl falls flat on her bottom halfway to him. But it doesn’t faze her. She happily crows for her “Yonny”, giggling when he kisses her forehead.


	10. “You’re so lucky I’m your friend. Not just anyone lets someone sleep in their bed.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby lets his best friend crash in his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ficlet was inspired by a "caring for a sick friend" prompt from wholelottaprompts.tumblr.com. Dedicated to my friend Rynnsama.

Bobby Brown trudges up the stairs, half-dragging and half-carrying his best friend, Johnny Lawrence, to his room. He is honestly glad that his parents and Becca are visiting his aunt and cousins in Sacramento. Bobby would hate having to explain this to his parents.

Johnny is so fucking trashed. It’s so bad that he can’t even stand up by himself. But Bobby knows the cause. Ali breaking up with his best friend hit the guy hard. It hurts to see his friend like this. He was devastated. Leave it to Tommy to pick up where Dutch left off in encouraging their friend’s worst habits to cope.

But there was no way that Bobby could let Johnny go home like that. Julie didn’t need to see her big brother like that. Especially not with the way she hero-worships him. And it would make things worse between the siblings because she was still upset about the breakup. Then there are Johnny’s parents. Mrs. Weinberg would be so disappointed. And Sid, well, he’s an asshole who would ream him out at the top of his lungs and take away Johnny’s bike.

Johnny stumbles, collapsing onto Bobby’s bed. He lets out a groan before curling up on his side and burying his face in one of Bobby’s pillows.

Bobby rolls his eyes. “You’re so lucky I’m your friend. Not just anyone lets someone sleep in their bed. But I swear if you puke in my room, you’re a dead man, best friend or not.” He need not have bothered saying anything, as the blond was fast asleep. Shaking his head, Bobby shoves Johnny just enough to where he can lie on a sliver of his own bed.


	11. Prompt 87 "You're so adorable."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grieving Julie witnesses a cute father/daughter moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was in response to the 100 Angst/Fluff Prompts that started our Quiver Cobra Kai Drabble Challenge in 2019. I finally wrote a response to this prompt by TheLadyDisdain.

Julie wakes up in a cold sweat. Glancing around, she notices that she’s alone in the bedroom. The baby monitor is turned off. Her heart seems to jump in her throat. She closes her eyes, hugging her arms across her chest, and rocks herself back and forth. She forces herself to take calming breaths.  _ It’s okay. Jimmy just let me sleep in. Lily’s fine. _

Even though she believes what she’s telling herself, Julie has a strong urge to check the apartment herself. She slips out of the bed, pulling on one of Jimmy’s sweaters. The moment that Julie opens the door, she hears muffled squeaks and talking. She tiptoes out of the room to investigate.

Peeking her head in the door of the living room, Julie practically melts at the sight. Jimmy is lying on the floor, playing with their five-month-old daughter. Lily is under the Disney Activity Gym.

“Donald’s gonna get you! Can you get him first?”

Jimmy flicks the ornament at her, which their daughter tries to grasp. Lily laughs, flinging her arms. Jimmy smiles, leaning down to grab and kiss one of the baby’s feet. More giggles. Jimmy leans away before he’s kicked in the mouth.

Julie creeps closer until she is right on top of the two. “You’re so adorable.”

Jimmy startles. He rolls onto his side, looking up at his wife. Grinning playfully, “Oh, yeah?”

Julie rolls her eyes. “I was talking to our daughter!”

He feigns offense. “I’m hurt.” He reaches out with his right leg to sweep her foot.

Not expecting to have her feet go out from under her, she screams and braces for the fall. Jimmy swiftly catches her, rolling them over. “I don’t think I’ve swept you off your feet lately. Time to make up for it.”

Julie laughs heartily. “God, you’re so corny! I love it. And I love you,” she says softly, pulling him down into a kiss. Their hands travel each other’s bodies as the kiss deepens.

A squeal interrupts their makeout session. Both look to the baby, remembering she was still in the room. Both of them laugh sheepishly.

Julie turns to her baby girl. “Oh, I’m so sorry for taking your Daddy away from you. Poor Lily Belle!”

Jimmy straightens up first, picking up the baby. He smiles at her, kissing her forehead. He notices the need and a sliver of pain in Julie’s expression as she watches them. “How are you feeling?”

Julie seems to choke back emotion. “I’m… okay. I just need to hold her.”

He nods. Looking down into his daughter’s dark eyes, he whispers to her. “I think Mommy needs some Lily time. Is that okay with you?”

She coos at him. Taking that for a “yes”, he passes the baby to his wife. “She’s already been fed and changed.”

Julie sighs in contentment. “My hero. Thank you.”

“I’ll let you two ladies have some alone time while I fix us some breakfast. How does that sound?”

“Heavenly.” She receives a kiss on the cheek in response. 


	12. Prompt 017 "A fairytale with a happy ending always brings a smile to my face."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie reading a fairytale to her daughter leads to a discussion of fairytales and her life with Jimmy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A response to TheLadyDisdain for the 101 Fluffy Prompts list. The quoted portion of Sleeping Beauty comes from Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales. I have a love for fairytales and their dark origins, which I passed on to Julie.

Jimmy leans against the doorframe of the nursery. He goes unnoticed. Julie sits in the rocking chair, holding Laura. She reads to her, trying to soothe the fussy newborn back to sleep.

“And when he saw her looking so lovely in her sleep, he could not turn away his eyes; and presently he stooped and kissed her, and she awakened, and opened her eyes, and looked very kindly on him.”

Jimmy smiles. He knows this one well.  _ Sleeping Beauty. _ Julie’s favorite fairy tale. The one that inspired a childhood nickname that stuck.

“Then the wedding of the Prince and Rosamond was held with all splendor, and they lived very happily together until their lives’ end,” Julie finishes. She softly kisses her daughter before placing the sleeping baby in the crib. “Sweet dreams, little one.”

“I’m sure she will,” Jimmy replies, making his presence known.

Julie jumps. She brings a hand to her chest. “Jimmy! What are you doing here?”

He grins, walking into the room. “A fairytale with a happy ending always brings a smile to my face.”

She rolls her tired eyes. “You know what I meant. And obviously, you haven’t read fairytales in their original forms.”

“Well, I do live here. And I want you to come to bed,” Jimmy explains as he cups her cheek. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Let down your hair!” He releases her hair from a messy bun. It falls in a cascade of waves and curls around her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face.

Julie smirks. “Hmm. Isn’t behaving like Rapunzel what got us into our current situation?” Her eyes flick to the crib. Jimmy chuckles, his hands moving down her body to rest on her hips. “And you know it’s too soon for that.”

He tilts his head. “See, I just want us to have a few hours, or even thirty minutes of sleep, together. You in my arms.”

She looks back at the crib, biting her lip. 

Jimmy uses one finger to turn her face back to him. “You know, there’s this invention called a baby monitor that we can turn on in case we’re being summoned.” He picks up the device from the dresser, turning the dial. “The other one is already in our bedroom. So, what did you mean about the originals?”

Her eyes light up. “Oh, just the wicked stepsisters getting their eyes pecked out by birds in  _ Cinderella _ . The evil queen in  _ Snow White _ was forced to wear shoes of red-hot iron and dance until she dropped dead. The Little Mermaid kills herself because her prince fell for another woman and she would rather be soulless than a murderer.”

Jimmy looks horrified. “You’re not seriously reading these to our children? You’ll give them nightmares!”

Julie rolls her eyes. “At this age, I don’t think they’ll care what we read, as they don’t understand a word we’re saying. And if our kids are anything like me, these stories or horror movies won’t give them nightmares. But if it matters so much to you, we can wait a few years.”

He nods, happy with the answer. “Alright, now we’re going to bed.” He dims the light before taking her hand and leading her out of the room.


	13. Prompt 2 "Stay here tonight."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie stays the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #2 from the Angst/Fluff Prompts list.

Julie jerks awake at the feeling of a blanket being draped over her.

Jimmy smiles, leaning over her in the dimly lit living room of his apartment. “Hey. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She feels caught between wanting to return his smile and frowning. “I really wish you would have. What time is it?”

“It’s a quarter past midnight.”

Even in the dark, the color seems to leave her face. Her eyes are wide. “Shit!” She tries to stand, while Jimmy gently pushes her back on the couch.

“Stay here tonight.”

Julie looks perturbed. “I’ve gotta go! Sid’s totally going to flip out on me.”

“Deal with it in the morning. You can think of an excuse after a good night’s rest.”

She shakes her head. “No, I have to go now. I can say that I had car trouble. He’d probably believe it. Despite having Johnny for a brother and hanging around you guys as a kid, I still know next to nothing about cars.”

He crosses his arms. “Julie, it’s late. I want you here, where I know that you’re safe.” He picks up the phone. “Here, call Becca. Have her be your alibi.”

She takes it, looking into his eyes. “That will probably work. Alright, I’ll stay. On the couch.”

He grins. “Oh, I know. Why do you think I was trying to cover you up?” Jimmy kisses her goodnight.


	14. Prompt 6 "You make every day worth living."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prince implores his Sleeping Beauty to awaken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is in response to the Angst/Fluff Prompt Challenge. Prompt 6 was requested by Jules1980, so this is gifted to her.

Jimmy collapses into the chair. She still hasn’t woken up yet. The doctors have said that her condition is improving, but it will be up to her to come out of it. He, his family, and their entire parish have prayed for her. But right now, he’ll take all that he can get. Even if his hope comes from one of those soap operas that Julie loves so much.

Jimmy takes her hand. “Jules, I hope that you can hear me. I need you to hear me. I know that this whole pregnancy has been hard on you. For that, I’m sorry. But look how far you’ve come in these few months. It may be crass of me to say this, but you know that saying, ‘whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger’? Julie, you are strong. So much stronger than you know. I know that you can come back from this.”

It’s at this point that he breaks down. The tears stream down his cheeks. Jimmy squeezes her hand tightly before bringing it to his lips. “Baby, please come back to me. To us. Our little girls need their mother. I know you doubt your capabilities, but you have so much to teach them. How to read. To love. To see the best in people. You taught me how to love again after I had my heart broken. I wasn’t expecting it. And now, I can’t imagine my life without you. You make every day worth living. So, please don’t let me go on one more day without you.”

Jimmy sits with her and continues to talk. He tells her about their daughters. That Johnny hasn’t had a drink since she arrived at the hospital, despite the urge to. About her soap operas, because he knows that Julie can’t stand to miss an episode. Minutes turn to hours. He looks at his watch. Visiting hours are about to end.

Reluctantly, he stands. Leaning down, he kisses her forehead and caresses her cheek. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I love you.” It may have been Jimmy’s imagination. But he swears that her fingers twitched.


	15. Prompt 56 "Tell me what's wrong."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our lovebirds hit a rough patch. Communication is down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Angst/Fluff prompt response. Gifted to Jules1980.

Jimmy walks into the apartment. He’s on autopilot, flicking through the mail in his hands. Barely a foot over the threshold and he nearly falls to his knees. He grunts, picking himself up. He’s surprised to see bags packed and lined up at the door.  _ Well, at least I know what I tripped on. _

“Julie, honey?”

His wife strides out of Lily’s room, with their daughter and a full diaper bag in tow. Her face is a hard, blank mask. “Your mom brought Lily home.”

He blinks. “Alright. So, why are there bags packed? Including Lily’s, when that’s clearly more than she had for a one-nighter at Mom and Dad’s last night?”

Julie purses her lips, yet avoids his eyes. “Because Lily and I are going to stay with Johnny for a while.”

Jimmy shakes his head, thinking he misheard her.

“Don’t worry, I’m not keeping our daughter from you. We can work out a schedule for Lily. Just give us a day or two to settle in.”

Jimmy throws his hands up. He just can’t comprehend what is happening. “Wait. Are you leaving me?”

Lily squirms in her mother’s arms, reaching for Jimmy. Julie avoids the question. “Will you take her while I pack the car?”

Bouncing the toddler in one arm, he puts his hand on Julie’s arm as she picks up two bags. “What’s going on? Tell me what’s wrong. Julie, please.”

She whips around. Her icy demeanor breaks and the pain and anger take over. Tears glisten in her eyes, but refuse to fall. “What’s wrong? The fact that you even have to ask is part of the problem. Look, we need a break.”

Jimmy fights the anger flaring up inside, only because of the little girl in his arms. “A break? We’re not two kids in high school, Julie. We’re married. We need to talk this out.”

She scoffs. “You’re right. We do need to talk. But right now, we need some time and space apart. Or something might get said that we can’t take back. I’ve got two more bags to take out and then I’ll be back for Lily.”

Jimmy clenches his jaw, closing his eyes. “Fine. Do what you’ve gotta do.”


	16. Black Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimmy buys the kids a pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the #Hauntober Prompts on Tumblr. Set in October 1996.

Julie smirks. “You are such a softy.”

“No, I’m not,” Jimmy protests.

She crosses her arms with a knowing look to her husband. “Right. All our four-year-old daughter had to do was crawl up in your lap, bat her eyes, and ask for a kitty.” She points over at Lily, who with her nearly two-year-old brother, plays with a little black kitten on the living room floor. “And here we are with a pet cat. A black cat days before Halloween, no less.”

He grins sheepishly, shrugging. “What can I say? I like to make her happy.”

Julie rolls her eyes. “You spoil her. I told you before she was born that she was going to have you so completely wrapped around her little finger.”

Jimmy walks up to her, his arms going to her waist. He pulls her closer. “Just like her mother.” He draws her into a kiss.

Their kiss is interrupted by Lily tugging on her mother’s pants leg. “Mommy, can we name her Luna? Like the cat in  _ Sailor Moon _ .”

Julie strokes her daughter’s hair. “Sure, baby.”


	17. Halloween 1983

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie wants to be Princess Leia for Halloween.

“I want to be Princess Leia!”

Johnny shrugs at his sister’s pronouncement. “Okay, fine. We’ll buy you a Leia costume if Mom is too busy to make one for you.”

Julie claps in excitement. “Yay! She’s so pretty. She’s one of the smartest characters in the  _ Star Wars _ movies. And she can kick butt.”

Johnny nods along to his sister’s chatter, tuning it out.

“That means we gotta match! You can be Luke!”

Johnny stops. “Wait. What?”

Julie rolls her eyes at him, annoyed. “You’re not listening. Remember in  _ Return of the Jedi _ when Luke finds out that Leia is his twin sister? We’re not twins, but we’re still brother and sister. I’ve got brown hair and eyes like her. Luke has blue eyes, even if his hair isn’t as blond as yours. We can still make it work! You could just wear your gi. It looks like Luke’s farm clothes in the first movie. And we could get the other Cobras to dress up as  _ Star Wars _ characters too!”

Johnny shakes his head, holding his hands up. “Whoa, whoa. No. No, I’m not agreeing to that. Look, twerp, I’ll buy your costume for you. I’ll even take you trick-or-treating, though if I’d rather go to parties with my friends and Ali. But I’m not dressing up as Luke Skywalker for you. I don’t go in for that nerd shit. And no way in hell would the guys agree to it!”

She pouts. “Why not? And it’s not nerd shit. In case you haven’t been paying attention,  _ Star Wars _ is very in right now. Bobby likes it! And he’s cool. You know what, he’d make a better Luke anyway!”

* * *

Several days later, Johnny and his friends find themselves decked out in a combination of do-it-yourself and store-bought  _ Star Wars _ costumes. They stand in the Brown family’s living room as Johnny and Bobby’s mothers snap pictures and fawn over them.

“How did I let myself get talked into this?”

Bobby slings an arm around Johnny’s shoulders. He grins. “Because you love your little sister and you hate to disappoint her.”

Johnny glares at him, holding his Don Post Studios Darth Vader helmet as if it were his bike helmet. “Who asked you?”

Bobby laughs. He lifts his hands in surrender. “Hey, come on. The way I heard it, you had your chance to be Luke and didn’t take it.”

“Is it so bad that I don’t want to look like a dork? This is kid stuff. Okay, the movies might be halfway decent. Or were until they brought in those teddy bears.”

Bobby rolls his eyes and sighs in exasperation. “They’re called Ewoks, Johnny.”

“Whatever.” Johnny turns his attention to the other occupants of the room. Dutch and Tommy are pretending to shoot at each other. Becca Brown (or should he say the Smurfette?) sulks in a corner with the Brown’s dog begging for her to pet him. His mom takes a picture of Julie with Jimmy. He ended up being the Han Solo to her Leia Organa.

But then Johnny focuses on his sister. Their mom, despite not being much of a seamstress, actually did a great job on Julie’s costume. She even twisted the girl’s hair up into the dual cinnamon bun style. Julie is practically glowing, holding onto Jimmy’s arm. Then they pose back to back holding their toy blasters. He can’t help but smile. It’s pretty funny considering how Jimmy towers over Jules, considering how he’s the shortest of the guys. As much as Johnny hates to admit it, Bobby was right. She was happy. That’s all that mattered. He’d suffer just about anything for her.

  
“Alright, Johnny. I want a picture of with your sister,” his mother beckons him over. He sighs, putting on his helmet.  _ Showtime. _ Laura takes a photo of Darth Johnny holding his lightsaber up to Julie-as-Leia, who in turn aims her faux blaster on him.


	18. Halloween 1983: Cobras & Costumes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cobras decide on Halloween costumes.

Julie was over at the Brown’s, playing with Becca. Bobby walks into the kitchen where the girls are having a snack.

“Hey, Bobby. Can I ask you a question?”

He leans against the countertop, picking up a pumpkin sugar cookie. “Sure,” he says, taking a bite. “What’s up, Jules?”

“Are you still taking Becca trick-or-treating?”

Becca looks up. Her blue eyes go wide, turning on her brother. She crosses her arms. “He better be!” A thought crosses her mind and she smiles ingratiatingly at him. “Unless he can convince Mom to let me and Julie go on our own.”

Bobby smirks, walking over to her. He tousles her hair. “Fat chance, sis.” Turning back to Julie, ”Yeah, I was planning on it. Aren’t you and Johnny joining us?”

She nods. “Yeah.” She looks down. “But I had an idea and Johnny hates it.”

Julie sounds so despondent that Bobby grows concerned. He kneels by her side. “Hey, what are you talking about? I’m sure you just misunderstood. Talk to me.”

He listens to her plans. He grins. “I think that is a great idea! I’ll run it by the guys.”

* * *

Bobby meets up with the guys later that day. Johnny was running behind. Dutch asks about everyone’s Halloween plans.

“Well, Johnny and I were planning to take our sisters out trick-or-treating,” Bobby replies.

“How cute. Aren’t they old enough to go on their own? How about, you ditch ‘em and we find a Halloween bash to crash?”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather not get killed by my mom or Johnny’s. You guys could join us.” He tells his friends Julie’s idea. Johnny arrives around that time. He’s not pleased with how the conversation goes.

Jimmy smiles. “I think that could be fun.”

“I’ll do it. But I want to be the Wookiee! I’ve even got his voice down pat.” He proceeds to do a passable imitation of Chewbacca’s roars and growls. The other Cobras break down laughing.

“As impressive as that was, we’ll see.”

“You guys are kidding, right?” Nobody seems to hear Johnny.

“Oh, come on!” Tommy complains. “You’re asking us to bypass the school dance and any number of parties to collect candy with the kiddies. At least, let us pick who we’re going as.”

“While you’re right, you have to think about availability and cost.”

“Yeah, man,” Dutch snickers. “I don’t think they have those plastic ponchos and cheap-ass masks in your size.”

“Or you could make your costume,” Jimmy suggests. He grimaces. “But I don’t know how you’d manage that one.”

“We can use my dog,” Bobby snarks. “I did name after the character.”

“Great. I’m passed over by the family dog,” Tommy grouses.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Johnny cracks, “Bobby’s dog actually looks the part. He’s hairy, huge, and intimidating.”

Tommy takes offense. “That hurts, man. Okay, fine! Since Julie’s the Princess, Johnny’s got Luke. Who’s left? There’s Vader, Han, the robots, that Boba Fett dude, Obi-Wan, Lando, Yoda…’

As he’s listing them off, Bobby cuts in. “Actually, I’m gonna Luke. Johnny didn’t want to be.”

Johnny blinks, head whipping around to face his best friend. “Wait. She actually asked you? My sister dumped me for my best friend? What the fuck? And you took her up on it? Why?” 

Bobby shrugs. “Sorry, man. But you said no and Jules asked. You know how much I love _ Star Wars _ and she gets it. Luke is my favorite character. Of course, I said yes.” Blue eyes flicker with concern. “You’re not upset about that, are you?”

Johnny waves it off, smiling. “Nah. It’s fine. You’re right. I didn’t want to be the Farm Boy, anyway. Han Solo is more my speed. And frankly, Vader is a more interesting character than his son.”

Bobby smiles in relief. They high-five.

“Oh, you want to be Han, too?” Jimmy asks.

“How about you spar for it?” Dutch suggests, grinning like a shark.

* * *

Johnny is stunned. He really didn’t expect to lose. He didn’t show mercy. A Cobra doesn’t, can’t do that. He doesn’t do that. _ Maybe Jimmy wanted it more. _ Not that it matters, as he really doesn’t really care what costume he ends up wearing. _ Well, as long as it’s not too weird or dorky, like the droids or Yoda. _

Pulling himself together, Johnny crosses his arms. “Are there any takers for Darth Vader, or is that one gonna be taken from me too?” He smirks.

Dutch laughs. “I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m gonna with that bounty hunter dude.”

“Boba Fett,” Bobby supplies.

Dutch thrusts his chin upwards in a slight nod. “Yeah, him. He was pretty cool. Until he got sucked into that pit. That was such bullshit.”

Bobby tilts his head in agreement.

“Fine! But I’d rather go as a damn stormtrooper than one of the dumb droids.”

Johnny pulls his friend into a side hug, grinning. “Stormtrooper, it is.”

Dutch cracks up. He leans toward Tommy. He pats his friend’s face. “You and your big mouth.”

“Okay, now that that’s settled, should we go look for costumes?”

They murmur in agreement.

“You guys, go on. I think I have what I need for mine. And I can probably make the bandolier for Chewie,” Bobby informs them.

“Yeah, same here. But if you guys can’t find what you need at the store, I can probably whip something up for my independent study in Art,” Jimmy offers. “Or get my mom to help with any sewing.”

Tommy points at him. “That I might take you up on.”


	19. Halloween 1983: Deleted Scene with Bobby & Becca

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby tries to help his sister decide on a Halloween costume.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, a deleted scene for the previous Halloween 1983 ficlets, as I couldn't figure out where to put it.

After Julie left, Bobby sits down beside his sister on the couch. She’s glued to the TV. At least, until she feels him watching her. Annoyed, she finally faces him.

“What?”

He shrugs. “Nothing. It’s just you haven’t said what or who you want to dress up as for Halloween. Usually, you’ve got this all planned out in advance.”

Becca shifts in her seat. Her brother can tell that she’s nervous. Taking a deep breath, she finally answers. “I wanna be Madonna.”

Bobby laughs in disbelief. “Yeah, uh, no. Becks, Mom and Dad are not going to allow that. Maybe if you were older, but not at ten.”

She groans. “See, I knew you were gonna say ‘no’.”

“I’m not saying that. I’m telling you that I know our parents and they’ll tell you 'no’. I’m just trying to save you the trouble and heartache. Why don’t you join me and Julie in our _ Star Wars _ theme?”

Becca rolls her eyes. “What? And be a second Leia? No, thanks. I’m not going to take that from Julie. It’s not like there are any other girls in those movies. And I’m not going to be a Jawa or an Ewok, so don’t even ask. God, it’s embarrassing that I even know those words!”

Bobby can’t help but laugh. He pulls his sister in for a hug. “You’re just lucky to have such a knowledgeable older brother. And while there are few women in _ Star Wars _, there are more than you think. There’s Aunt Beru and Mon Mothma. And if I include the comics, there’s Lumiya and Dani. ”

Becca scrunches her nose. “No, thanks. And now, you’re just getting too geeky on me.” She pulls out of the hug and stands. “I’ll think of something.”

“Go with something from a cartoon,” Bobby calls out to her as she walks away. “That way, Mom can’t object.”


	20. "A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A drunk Johnny realizes that he can't help his sister the way he wants to. Bobby is there for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is a quote by Steve Fergosi. It was sent to me by Switch842 as a writing prompt with Johnny Lawrence as the featured character. This chapter/ficlet is a gift to her.

Johnny downs another beer.  _ Maybe I should try something stronger. _ He still feels too sober. He turns to the bartender, holding up a hand. “Yo, can I get a Jack Daniels?”

The bartender appears annoyed, but nods. He selects a glass and starts to pour. As soon as the liquid hits the glass, a voice calls out.

“Don’t waste your whiskey. He’s not staying.”

Johnny curses under his breath. Shifting on the barstool, he comes face-to-face with Bobby. “So, you found me.”

Bobby is pissed. “Well, one of us was bound to find you in one of these dive bars. Nobody’s seen you since the funeral hours ago. Do you know how bad it is when a twelve-year-old sends out a search party?”

Johnny grimaces. “She didn’t.”

His friend smacks a hand on the bar with a resounding crack. He winces. “Damn it, Johnny! That little girl just buried her mother. She doesn’t need to worry about you drinking yourself to death.”

“She was my mother, too. And I’ll grieve however I damn well please.” He reaches for the glass.

Bobby blocks him. “Yeah, you’re right. Nobody can tell you how to grieve. But who’s going to help Julie through her grief if you’re passed out drunk in a bar? Sid?”

Guilt, then anger, color Johnny’s face. He snorts. “You know, when it really hit me that Mom wasn’t gonna get any better, that she was gonna die,” he chokes out, “I had the big idea that I was gonna get Jules outta that house.” Johnny shakes his head. “Sid doesn’t love her. He doesn’t care about her, not really. He only tolerated us because he wanted our mom. But we were a package deal.”

Bobby blinks but doesn’t interrupt. Johnny snatches up the glass. For a second, he waits to see if his friend will stop him. To both of their surprise, Bobby lets him drink.

“I don’t know what the hell I was thinking.” He gives a self-deprecating smile. “What do I know about getting a lawyer? And how to pay for him? No fucking judge in their right mind would choose me over Sid. I’m flunking out of college, so I might as well just drop out. I’ve got no job. No place of my own. I can’t support her. Sid’s got tons of money. He’s got lawyers. He owns his home. He still fucking pays my bills!”

Johnny grasps the empty glass so tightly that Bobby is afraid it might shatter and cut him. Bobby slowly takes it out of his hand, putting it behind them. “You were thinking like an older brother,” his friend quietly replies. “You want to protect Julie. It’s an instinct. We don’t always think things through, at first.”

“Of course, I want to protect her. She’s my sister. And she’s all I’ve got.”

“Hey, you’re not alone.” Bobby takes his hand, gripping it tight. “You’ve still got your brothers. And just because you aren’t in any place to petition for guardianship of Julie right now, doesn’t mean you can just give up. Be the role model she needs. Cut down on the drinking. If you’re going to quit school, get a job, and find an apartment. Take care of yourself before you think of taking on another person. Julie deserves better. You might have to leave her in Sid’s care for now, but just be there when she needs you. And you and I both know, that girl is going to need you.”

Johnny takes it all in. Looking down at the scratched surface of the bar, he sighs. After a few minutes, Johnny rises, if a bit unsteady, to his feet. “Okay. Let’s go.” Taking his wallet out of his pocket, he grabs a few dollars and slaps them on the counter.

Bobby holds out his hand. Johnny stares at him, unable to comprehend. “Keys,” Bobby reiterates with a roll of his eyes. “You’re not driving in this condition. You’re going home with me. I’ll call and let Jules know that I found you. But you're gonna sleep this off and you can see her in the morning. Also, you should apologize for making her worry.”


	21. Prompt 011 "May I have this dance?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny shares a dance with Julie on her wedding day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt taken from 101 Fluffy Prompts list. The lyrics used in this ficlet are from "My Girl" by The Temptations and "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra.

The ballroom of the Encino Oaks Country Club was filled with people ready to ring in the New Year. It had been six or seven years since Johnny had last set foot on the premises. Not much had changed. Still the same pretentious snobs and gossiping backstabbers in attendance.

But he still remembered how to put on a show and act the part, if anyone from his past life came up to him. But Julie was different. She never liked the attention, artificiality, and competitiveness that came with being part of the rich crowd. For her sake, Johnny wishes that her and Jimmy’s impromptu wedding reception was being held elsewhere and not as an add-on to this fancy shindig.  _ Poor kid must be crawling out of her skin. What were the Andersons and Browns thinking?  _ He is just glad that Sid seemed to fall out of the schmoozing and socializing at the club when his mother got sick. His stepdad would flip his shit over this, making Julie feel even worse.

Speaking of his sister, the not-quite-blushing-bride seems to be ignored and shunted off to the side. Especially when surrounded by her new in-laws.  _ This is not how she should be spending her wedding day. _ Johnny clenches his jaw.  _ Nobody puts his baby sister in a corner. _

He stands abruptly, making his way to her. “May I have this dance?” He holds his hand out to her, beckoning her to join him.

Julie looks up. Instantly, her expression is transformed. She beams up at him, taking his proffered hand. “Like you even had to ask.”

Johnny leads her out onto the dance floor. The DJ starts playing the song he requested.

_ “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.” _

As they start dancing, she grins up at him. “Really?”

With a smile to match hers, he nods. “One of your favorites, isn’t it? And even if you are married now, you’ll still be‘my girl’.”

He sings along with the recording of The Temptations. Julie laughs, singing along through tears of joy and getting to see this open and carefree side of her brother that few are privileged to witness.

Then the song changes to a romantic jazz song. Something that their mother used to listen to, he’s sure. Julie leans into him, her head upon his shoulder, just as she used to do as a little girl.

“May I cut in?”

The siblings stop dancing. Julie lifts her head at the interruption. It’s Jimmy. Johnny notices that as happy as she looked when he asked her to dance, nothing could compare to this. She’s practically glowing. It’s the look of love.

Johnny won’t deny her this. “Go on. Dance with your husband.”

Julie smiles at him. Gratitude shines in her eyes. “Thank you,” she mouths. 

As the song continues to play, Jimmy twirls her down the dance floor.

_ Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm _

_ And your cheeks so soft, _

_ There is nothing for me but to love you, _

_ And the way you look tonight. _

  
Johnny watches them smile and whisper to each other. Jimmy brushes a lock of hair from her face, then proceeds to stroke her cheek fondly. They both look so happy. It warms his heart to see her like this.  _ God, she’s so beautiful, just like Mom. It’s like this song was written for her. _ But if he’s being honest with himself, this moment is also so bittersweet. His sweet little tagalong of a sister who he has protected forever was now a woman grown, married, and starting a family, He has to let her go, but not completely, he tells himself, so that she can grow into the woman she needs to be.


	22. Prompt 074 "You're lucky I'm pregnant!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimmy's ex experiences the wrong side of a Lawrence temper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the 101 Fluffy Prompts list.

“Get your fucking hands off of him!”

The raven-haired beauty whirls around at the interruption. But to Julie’s ire, she still has ahold of Jimmy’s lapel with one hand and the other palming his pecs. The beautiful face is tarnished by a sneer. “And you are?”

An agitated Jimmy takes her by the wrists, ripping her hands off of him. “Pamela, I’m married.” He shows her his left ring finger. With a nod, he indicates Julie. “And that beautiful young woman behind you is my wife. Julie.”

Pamela does a double-take. “You’re kidding, right? She’s a child.” Scrutinizing Julie, she notices the swell of her abdomen. She smirks. “Oh. Now, it makes sense.” Pamela turns back to her ex, a patronizing smile on her face. “Jimmy, you just have too big a heart. Unfortunately, it’s also one of your weaknesses. Of course, you wouldn’t abandon your child. And then, there’s that Catholic guilt.” She wrinkles her button nose. “Not to mention, how much you hate to disappoint your mother.” Pamela shakes her head sadly. “Jimmy, darling, this is the 90s! You don’t have to marry the girl you knock up. Just support the kid.”

Jimmy clenches his jaw. But Pam’s not done. She gets in her supposed rival’s face. “And you should be ashamed of yourself. Chasing after an older man and trapping him with a baby! Have some self-respect. Jimmy is too good for you. One day, he will come to his senses and leave you. He’s going to take your kid away from you because you are obviously unfit to be a mother.”

Julie’s blood boils. She launches herself at Pamela. Jimmy throws himself between the two women. But not soon enough. Julie throws a punch. Her first two knuckles make contact with Pamela’s nose with an audible crack.

Jimmy forces her back. “Jules, stop! You’re going to hurt yourself and the baby. Calm down. Walk away. Don’t listen to her.”

Julie forces herself to take deep breaths. She glares at Pamela. “You’re lucky I’m pregnant! If you think a bloody nose is painful, just think about what I’ll do to you if you ever come near my husband again.”


	23. Prompt 071 "I bet it's a girl/boy."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cobra baby betting pool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from 101 Fluffy Prompts list. I think this is my shortest one yet. Still a few words over an actual drabble, but I tried.

Dutch slings one arm around Johnny, while bringing a beer to his lips with the other. “So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

Dutch rolls his eyes. “Little Bit’s baby. I bet it’s a boy.”

Johnny takes a drink of his own beer, shrugging. “Jules doesn’t care. But she seems to have a hunch that it’s a girl.”

“I think Julie’s right,” Tommy pipes up.

Dutch grins. “Care to put some money on it? Twenty bucks?”

“I can’t believe you’re betting on Julie’s baby,” Bobby breaks in. “I want no part of this.”

“Dutch, why don’t we double our bet? I’ve got a theory,” Tommy suggests, a knowing glint in his eye.


End file.
